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Marathon residents were told to evacuate as the heater continued

Thousands of residents are being evacuated from their homes as wildfires continue to burn north of Athens, with flames reaching up to 25m (80ft).

The historic Marathon area is among the areas where residents were taken to safety by emergency services.

Houses and buildings in the nearby town of Varnavas burning, according to the fire department. Firefighters were evacuating people trapped in the flames from a convoy of 20 to 25 vehicles that were trying to escape from the area.

40 fires have broken out in Greece since Saturday afternoon and firefighters are still fighting seven.

Weather and Defense Minister Vassilis Kikilias warned that the most dangerous weather will continue. Greece just got really hot in June and July on the record.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned to Athens on Sunday, cutting short his vacation, to deal with the problem.

In Varnavas, a wildfire that started on Sunday afternoon has burned an area of ​​100 square kilometers by 19:00 BST.

Residents of Varnavas and Grammatiko were ordered to evacuate by a message from the national emergency number.

Residents of the historic city of Marathon were told to evacuate to the coastal town of Nea Makri.

The spokesman for the fire department, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, said that the fire was brought under control quickly and became bigger due to the wind. up to 8 Beaufort (39-46mph).

“We appeal to all the residents of this area. For their own safety and as the fire continues rapidly, it is imperative that they obey the instructions of the authorities,” said Mr. Vathrakogiannis.

“At the moment, the fire is moving towards Lake Marathon where the forces against it are constantly being strengthened, they are focused on the sides and they are facing flames that in some cases are more than 25m,” he added.

A force of 165 firefighters, with nine teams on foot, as well as 30 vehicles, seven firefighting planes and five helicopters were deployed to put out the flames.

The strong wind was severely hampering the work of the firefighting aircraft involved in the operation, and the fight against the fire is expected to drag on throughout the night as the winds are expected to continue strong.

Medical centers and hospitals in Athens were on full alert Sunday evening. Parts of the capital were left under a cloud of brown smoke.


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